Final Village at Mendota Heights phase under way
New commercial building will feature big clock tower
The Village at Mendota Heights, a mixed-use "new urbanist" project in northern Dakota County, is heading into the homestretch of its construction phase. Ground has been broken for its third and final commercial element, a 47,000 square foot building that will complete the environment for its central pedestrian square.
The new building will likely be anchored by a Snyder's pharmacy and will feature a striking architectural element - a four-sided clock tower capable of changing colors with the seasons and events, overlooking the development'sMarket Square. The feature was designed by Elness Swenson Graham Architects (ESG) and will give the main square a unique identity, according to Ross Fefercorn, a partner with developer Mendota Town Center LLC.
"It's a signature building that complements the rest of the development," he said. "It's not historical in terms of its design, but it's creating history. It is a building that will be memorable for many generations. The clock tower - we really spent a lot of time on that. It's a community feature, it isn't just a haphazard thing."
Fefercorn said he, ESG and a team of lighting designers put considerable effort into "making sure (the clock tower) is memorable. I think that in future generations, little kids will grow up in Mendota Heights and remember the clock tower that can change colors, will remember seeing it and it will be one of those icons that holds your attention and into adulthood."
The new commercial building will be on the south side of the square, joining existing ones on the east and west sides for a total of 98,000 square feet. The first-phase buildings are 90 percent occupied by several small businesses, including the Sage Market and Wine Bar, Cold Stone Creamery, a Caribou Coffee outlet, the Wine Market by Kowalski and other storefronts. A smaller second-phase building off the square is 60 percent leased.
Fefercorn says discussions are under way with several restaurants to take space in the new clock tower building. He also maintains Village at MendotaHeights' considerable residential elements, mostly condominiums and townhomes, are continuing to sell despite the housing market slowdown. Plans call for 135 new housing units, including 39 row townhomes, 36 loft condominiums and 60 units of affordable senior housing.
The clock tower building will also include 200 underground parking spaces and is set to open early next year.
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